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Devil on Horseback
How could she tell Alex the truth?
When Joanna Thomas heard from Liz, an old school friend, about the housekeeping job at her bother's ranch, Joanna accepted it to prove that she could succeed on her own.
A course in gourmet cooking hadn't really prepared her for the enormous task, but that was only part of the problem. Alex Harper thought the matchmaking Liz had sent her as another marriage candidate.
Everything might have turned out all right - except that Joanna fell in love with Alex!
When Joanna Thomas heard from Liz, an old school friend, about the housekeeping job at her bother's ranch, Joanna accepted it to prove that she could succeed on her own.
A course in gourmet cooking hadn't really prepared her for the enormous task, but that was only part of the problem. Alex Harper thought the matchmaking Liz had sent her as another marriage candidate.
Everything might have turned out all right - except that Joanna fell in love with Alex!
- GenresHarlequin RomanceRomance
Paperback
First published October 1, 1979
About the author
Elizabeth Graham
118 books11 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Elizabeth Graham (1):
E. Schattner wrote as Elizabeth Graham and Emma Church.
Elizabeth Graham (1):
E. Schattner wrote as Elizabeth Graham and Emma Church.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 15, 2017
I didn't fall for this one as much as I hoped.
Heroine was a teensy bit too clueless for me, but I admired her ability to fall in love with the big fathead hero anyway.
Hero was in love, it's just he is more in love with his own awesomeness than I think he is with the heroine.
Some sibling snark, and Huzzah and heralds music cue....
The evil other woman! Yep, she was a bitch on wheels and never let an opportunity to sneer in the heroine's face or anyone else's for that matter.
I'm almost tempted to bump this up to three stars in anticipation of the major hissy fit the OW is going to have when she finds out that not only has she lost on Hunka hero AGAIN, but the chick she's been sneering at for being a lowly housekeeper actually has more money than she does and is a better dresser.
I am going to re-phrase Boogenhage's tag, be happy the heroine is happy to
be happy the OW is cosmically thwarted and must now wallow in her failure and shame or something like that.
Heroine was a teensy bit too clueless for me, but I admired her ability to fall in love with the big fathead hero anyway.
Hero was in love, it's just he is more in love with his own awesomeness than I think he is with the heroine.
Some sibling snark, and Huzzah and heralds music cue....
The evil other woman! Yep, she was a bitch on wheels and never let an opportunity to sneer in the heroine's face or anyone else's for that matter.
I'm almost tempted to bump this up to three stars in anticipation of the major hissy fit the OW is going to have when she finds out that not only has she lost on Hunka hero AGAIN, but the chick she's been sneering at for being a lowly housekeeper actually has more money than she does and is a better dresser.
I am going to re-phrase Boogenhage's tag, be happy the heroine is happy to
be happy the OW is cosmically thwarted and must now wallow in her failure and shame or something like that.
December 3, 2017
Solid vintage tale of a rich heroine who is at loose ends when her father re-marries and takes an extended honeymoon abroad with his new wife. The heroine runs into a school friend from her boarding school and impulsively decides to take on the job of temporary housekeeper to the friend's brother out on the ranch. The heroine has tried all kinds of careers and thinks her six week gourmet cooking class will suffice for experience.
The hero is grumpy when he picks her up from the bus station in the rain - she's too young, too pretty and not at all deferential. They have to ford a creek to get home so the H/h feel a jolt of attraction when he carries her across.
The first dinner is a disaster (and quite amusing) as the heroine makes the hero and his two hungry brothers a lovely souffle, a salad, and melon for dessert. Poor guy is sex-starved and hungry - no wonder he's cranky. The heroine has other housekeeping set backs, but the middle brother's fiancee helps her out and soon she has the house running in apple pie order.
The hero is suspicious of the h because his sister is always trying to set him up. The heroine feels guilty because she has lied about her background and has shortened her name from Joanna to Anna to throw him off the scent. She is a terrible liar and keeps giving the hero the wrong impression - at one point he thinks she's corresponding with a married man she had an affair with.
The misunderstandings are understandable and amusing because the hero keeps trying to harden his heart against the h and he keeps failing miserably. There are some cute scenes with the heroine pretending she can't ride a horse (when she is some kind of champion), the heroine sneaking the pregnant work dog into the house for company, and the heroine showing off her glamorous self when she is finally invited out to dinner. Poor hero doesn't know whether he is coming or going.
The heroine is described as small with violet eyes and dark hair. And the hero is tall and ruggedly handsome. I think the author had Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson from the movie Giant in mind. (Not that old guy on the cover) He says at one point that he is going to stand her on a box if he wants to comfortably kiss her. It's a nice slow burn of a romance.
There's an OW who keeps popping up. The hero does use the OW as a shield, but he hardly acts lover-like toward the woman.
The heroine grows up a lot in the story and the hero learns to be happy again. He's had sole responsibility for his family since his parents died and he hasn't had a lot of fun since.
It's at open library if you like these tropes.
The hero is grumpy when he picks her up from the bus station in the rain - she's too young, too pretty and not at all deferential. They have to ford a creek to get home so the H/h feel a jolt of attraction when he carries her across.
The first dinner is a disaster (and quite amusing) as the heroine makes the hero and his two hungry brothers a lovely souffle, a salad, and melon for dessert. Poor guy is sex-starved and hungry - no wonder he's cranky. The heroine has other housekeeping set backs, but the middle brother's fiancee helps her out and soon she has the house running in apple pie order.
The hero is suspicious of the h because his sister is always trying to set him up. The heroine feels guilty because she has lied about her background and has shortened her name from Joanna to Anna to throw him off the scent. She is a terrible liar and keeps giving the hero the wrong impression - at one point he thinks she's corresponding with a married man she had an affair with.
The misunderstandings are understandable and amusing because the hero keeps trying to harden his heart against the h and he keeps failing miserably. There are some cute scenes with the heroine pretending she can't ride a horse (when she is some kind of champion), the heroine sneaking the pregnant work dog into the house for company, and the heroine showing off her glamorous self when she is finally invited out to dinner. Poor hero doesn't know whether he is coming or going.
The heroine is described as small with violet eyes and dark hair. And the hero is tall and ruggedly handsome. I think the author had Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson from the movie Giant in mind. (Not that old guy on the cover) He says at one point that he is going to stand her on a box if he wants to comfortably kiss her. It's a nice slow burn of a romance.
There's an OW who keeps popping up. The hero does use the OW as a shield, but he hardly acts lover-like toward the woman.
The heroine grows up a lot in the story and the hero learns to be happy again. He's had sole responsibility for his family since his parents died and he hasn't had a lot of fun since.
It's at open library if you like these tropes.
January 7, 2026
Heroine (22) wows hero (30), but he seems oblivious to the fact that taking his ex-girlfriend everywhere might be a tad off putting. Not the smartest biscuit in the barrel. He also seems to think HE is the catch not her (ummm no).
The heroine, however, is all sorts of awesome and the hero will need to work hard to keep her. She could do better, but apparently he has very good body? (Not much brain capacity though).
3 1/2 stars
The heroine, however, is all sorts of awesome and the hero will need to work hard to keep her. She could do better, but apparently he has very good body? (Not much brain capacity though).
3 1/2 stars
August 6, 2018
The h is great in this one, as is the OW. The H is a little too self-confident and not special enough to deserve the h.
I want to add that it was a daring choice of the publishers not to include the h & H on the cover, but instead to include the picture of a willowy 14-year-old and her grandfather.
I want to add that it was a daring choice of the publishers not to include the h & H on the cover, but instead to include the picture of a willowy 14-year-old and her grandfather.
March 25, 2026
Joanna was fed up with her sterilized existence. She wanted to do something meaningful and successful in her life, especially when she failed in everything she had done so far. Therefore, when she met an old schoolmate whose business as a labor provider was just getting successful and offered her a cook-come-housekeeper to her brothers' ranch, she was willing to risk all to try it out. Unfortunately, Joanna had to hide her true identity so instead of being Joanna Thomas, the daughter of a very rich and famous factories owner, she had to be Anna Thomas, the daughter of a poor factory worker in order to impress Alex Harper, the ranch owner! Alex was not impressed though! If anything, he was more suspicious than ever when her so called housework talents were virtually nonexistent! Joanna had to learn housework chores and fast and in the same time protect herself from Alex's potent charm!
This novel gives one a splitting headache! Unreal scenes and exaggerated events. The heroine is the true setback to this story. She kept lying to the hero till the very end even thought he never once hinted at not accepting her if she was not poor! The beginning was interesting, but once you reach the middle of the book, you feel too bored to continue. Pitty, really!
This novel gives one a splitting headache! Unreal scenes and exaggerated events. The heroine is the true setback to this story. She kept lying to the hero till the very end even thought he never once hinted at not accepting her if she was not poor! The beginning was interesting, but once you reach the middle of the book, you feel too bored to continue. Pitty, really!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2017
This has been on my TBR pile for the longest time, because really, the cover is so unappealing, the H looks like a grandfather, nothing at all like how he is described in the book, It quite put me off, but actually it's a charming story. The heroine is very likable, it's amusing how she is very irreverent towards the hero, when she is supposed to be playing the part of the housekeeper.
The heroine is from a wealthy family and is at a lose end. She runs into a school acquaintance and they have dinner together to catch up. Her old school friend Liz comes from a well to do ranching family in the country. Her brother needs a temporary housekeeper and wants her to come home to do the job. Since the friend has a new boyfriend and doesn't want to leave the city, she convinces Joanna (the heroine) to "apply" for the job. Joanna is a bit lonely and wants to prove something to herself and her father by succeeding in something. Since she has just taken a culinary course they both decide that Joanna is up for the job. Since they dont want the brother (Hero) to know she is Liz' friend from school, they pretend that Joanna is jobless and looking for work.
Joanna travels to the ranch and the brother goes to fetch her. He immediately has his doubts because she looks too young and pretty to do a housekeeping job. She kind of explains that she is inexperienced but makes a sob story about her father being out of work. Actually he is vacationing in Europe. She does proceed to make several elementary mistakes in the start, and its amusing how she has an irreverent attitude to the hero, seeing as she is supposed to be dependent on him for her job. The Hero is also suspicious of her since his sister Liz, is in the habit of sending attractive friends to the ranch in the hopes of marrying him off to one of her friends. She hates his ex-fiancée who is a neighbor and seems to still be in the picture.
There is nice but slow chemistry between Joanna and Alex. The other woman makes an appearance, but Joanna knows how to hold her own. Alex is jealous when other men pay attention to Joanna but never clarifies his relationship with the OW. Most of the tension stems from Joanna feeling guilty about her deception over her identity and Alex' suspicion that she is just another husband hunting female sent by his sister.
The heroine is from a wealthy family and is at a lose end. She runs into a school acquaintance and they have dinner together to catch up. Her old school friend Liz comes from a well to do ranching family in the country. Her brother needs a temporary housekeeper and wants her to come home to do the job. Since the friend has a new boyfriend and doesn't want to leave the city, she convinces Joanna (the heroine) to "apply" for the job. Joanna is a bit lonely and wants to prove something to herself and her father by succeeding in something. Since she has just taken a culinary course they both decide that Joanna is up for the job. Since they dont want the brother (Hero) to know she is Liz' friend from school, they pretend that Joanna is jobless and looking for work.
Joanna travels to the ranch and the brother goes to fetch her. He immediately has his doubts because she looks too young and pretty to do a housekeeping job. She kind of explains that she is inexperienced but makes a sob story about her father being out of work. Actually he is vacationing in Europe. She does proceed to make several elementary mistakes in the start, and its amusing how she has an irreverent attitude to the hero, seeing as she is supposed to be dependent on him for her job. The Hero is also suspicious of her since his sister Liz, is in the habit of sending attractive friends to the ranch in the hopes of marrying him off to one of her friends. She hates his ex-fiancée who is a neighbor and seems to still be in the picture.
There is nice but slow chemistry between Joanna and Alex. The other woman makes an appearance, but Joanna knows how to hold her own. Alex is jealous when other men pay attention to Joanna but never clarifies his relationship with the OW. Most of the tension stems from Joanna feeling guilty about her deception over her identity and Alex' suspicion that she is just another husband hunting female sent by his sister.
November 30, 2022
It was so-so. Writing was good, but the h was a liar and the whole plot was her getting in a fix because she heaps lies upon lies upon lies while telling herself it's not *really* lying because she draped all her deceptions around half-truths. I can't stand these types of characters or plots because... well... I fricking hate liars.
Girl does bake a mean fruit slice though, and I thought it was really sweet when the H was genuinely touched that she had baked them. Three stars alone just for the fruity slices.
Girl does bake a mean fruit slice though, and I thought it was really sweet when the H was genuinely touched that she had baked them. Three stars alone just for the fruity slices.
October 8, 2023
Why is the h's grandfather on the cover?
3.5 stars
A poor rich girl feels herself a failure and agrees to become a temporary housekeeper at some remote ranch.
3.5 stars
A poor rich girl feels herself a failure and agrees to become a temporary housekeeper at some remote ranch.
May 21, 2026
Heroine low-key annoyed me. Basically poor, rich girl was bored and went to play around. She has no purpose and if she did, she wasn’t even good at it. She thinks one thing but does another…for no reason. She is no housekeeper but a homewrecker! Seriously, hear me out!
First, she accepted a full on housekeeping job when she never even made a bed in her whole life. Homegirl was lucky to even know what she knows! Second, she really has no clue! She’s confused if she should stick to playing housekeeping, or if she wants to start interfering with the hero’s love life, to love and leave him (to spite him). In case ya was wondering, she’s useless in all departments anyways. I’m starting to question her decision skills at this point. And why is she telling lies and hiding her background as if it’s a secret. She once entertained a small crush/met the hero when she was in school with his sister, that would have been a more enjoyable premise and a goal to pursue him in the back of beyond. Instead, all of her lies and nonsense were unnecessary and distracting. Last, she is two-faced and that of a wrecker! Kissing the hero’s brother Nick, who is engaged to Shirley, a nice gal the heroine had recently befriended and largely considered perfect for Nick. Learning about Nick and Shirley’s romance she bid Shirley to take care of Nick as if she was someone to even speak! Eeek! They are better off without your faithless preaching! I mean kissing. Honestly, it was unexpected and random between Nick and the heroine, they have no interactions of the sort. Author forced that badly to create jealousy for the hero. Though, it was no biggie on everyone’s part, especially on Shirley’s end lol.
All in all, pacing was off, characters not developed and nothing made full sense. Hero and heroine’s relationship moved unbelievably fast and didn’t hold any significance. Yes, their love scenes were insignificant and felt forced. No climax. Ending was unsatisfying. Boo!
P.S Btw, she was also an actress of some failure, too. Yup, she was plenty of things but useless in everything! Too much at play and nothing else!
First, she accepted a full on housekeeping job when she never even made a bed in her whole life. Homegirl was lucky to even know what she knows! Second, she really has no clue! She’s confused if she should stick to playing housekeeping, or if she wants to start interfering with the hero’s love life, to love and leave him (to spite him). In case ya was wondering, she’s useless in all departments anyways. I’m starting to question her decision skills at this point. And why is she telling lies and hiding her background as if it’s a secret. She once entertained a small crush/met the hero when she was in school with his sister, that would have been a more enjoyable premise and a goal to pursue him in the back of beyond. Instead, all of her lies and nonsense were unnecessary and distracting. Last, she is two-faced and that of a wrecker! Kissing the hero’s brother Nick, who is engaged to Shirley, a nice gal the heroine had recently befriended and largely considered perfect for Nick. Learning about Nick and Shirley’s romance she bid Shirley to take care of Nick as if she was someone to even speak! Eeek! They are better off without your faithless preaching! I mean kissing. Honestly, it was unexpected and random between Nick and the heroine, they have no interactions of the sort. Author forced that badly to create jealousy for the hero. Though, it was no biggie on everyone’s part, especially on Shirley’s end lol.
All in all, pacing was off, characters not developed and nothing made full sense. Hero and heroine’s relationship moved unbelievably fast and didn’t hold any significance. Yes, their love scenes were insignificant and felt forced. No climax. Ending was unsatisfying. Boo!
P.S Btw, she was also an actress of some failure, too. Yup, she was plenty of things but useless in everything! Too much at play and nothing else!
March 24, 2026
The Canadian heroine is a poor little rich girl ho has been given a brilliant, private education by a doting father yet cannot succeed at anything, whether a career or in her personal life. So when her old school chum asks her to fill in for her as housekeeper at her brother’s ranch, the heroine acquiesces, ready for adventure. She even changes her name and identity because she is tired of people kowtowing to her because of her millionaire father. It isn’t long before sparks fly between her and Mr. Macho Rancher.
This a color-by-numbers vintage Harlequin. The hero blows hot and cold with the heroine. He spends most of his free time with an OW who seems glued to his hips. Then he is ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED that the heroine thought he was involved with OW. Puh-leeze. A few OMs pursue the heroine, provoking the hero’s seething jealousy. One pretty funny qui pro quo is the hero believing she is involved with a married man because she keeps receiving letters from a man in Europe. Towards the end, when they are clearing up all their Great, Big, Terrible Misunderstandings, he asks her if things are over with the man from Europe, and she replies “I hope not,” which almost sends him into apoplexy. The heroine cheekily calls him stupid and reveals those were letters from her father who is in Europe for business/ honeymoon with his second wife.
Overall it was a nice story, just not very memorable.
This a color-by-numbers vintage Harlequin. The hero blows hot and cold with the heroine. He spends most of his free time with an OW who seems glued to his hips. Then he is ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED that the heroine thought he was involved with OW. Puh-leeze. A few OMs pursue the heroine, provoking the hero’s seething jealousy. One pretty funny qui pro quo is the hero believing she is involved with a married man because she keeps receiving letters from a man in Europe. Towards the end, when they are clearing up all their Great, Big, Terrible Misunderstandings, he asks her if things are over with the man from Europe, and she replies “I hope not,” which almost sends him into apoplexy. The heroine cheekily calls him stupid and reveals those were letters from her father who is in Europe for business/ honeymoon with his second wife.
Overall it was a nice story, just not very memorable.
July 13, 2026
An old skool vintage book set in Canada.
The h is a rich future heiress at a bit of a loose end as her dad has gone off to Europe on his honeymoon.
Despite an excellent education and excelling at horse skills the h doesn’t seem to be qualified to do much so she accepts a job from the H’s sister as a temporary housekeeper in his ranch.
The h can only whip up gourmet meals at first and is rubbish at keeping house but the H kinda likes the h and keeps her around despite everything.
H took on the raising of his siblings after parents died and his fiancée dumped him because it - although they still “hang out” kids are all grown up now and getting on with their own lives.
I didn’t like that the h kissed the H’s brother esp as he was engaged and she liked his fiancée I just thought they was tacky.
Anyway the H clocks on to the h identity when he sees her ride his horse and love is declared for their HEA
The h is a rich future heiress at a bit of a loose end as her dad has gone off to Europe on his honeymoon.
Despite an excellent education and excelling at horse skills the h doesn’t seem to be qualified to do much so she accepts a job from the H’s sister as a temporary housekeeper in his ranch.
The h can only whip up gourmet meals at first and is rubbish at keeping house but the H kinda likes the h and keeps her around despite everything.
H took on the raising of his siblings after parents died and his fiancée dumped him because it - although they still “hang out” kids are all grown up now and getting on with their own lives.
I didn’t like that the h kissed the H’s brother esp as he was engaged and she liked his fiancée I just thought they was tacky.
Anyway the H clocks on to the h identity when he sees her ride his horse and love is declared for their HEA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2022
How could she tell Alex the truth?
When Joanna Thomas heard from Liz, an old school friend, about the housekeeping job at her bother's ranch, Joanna accepted it to prove that she could succeed on her own.
A course in gourmet cooking hadn't really prepared her for the enormous task, but that was only part of the problem. Alex Harper thought the matchmaking Liz had sent her as another marriage candidate.
Everything might have turned out all right - except that Joanna fell in love with Alex!
When Joanna Thomas heard from Liz, an old school friend, about the housekeeping job at her bother's ranch, Joanna accepted it to prove that she could succeed on her own.
A course in gourmet cooking hadn't really prepared her for the enormous task, but that was only part of the problem. Alex Harper thought the matchmaking Liz had sent her as another marriage candidate.
Everything might have turned out all right - except that Joanna fell in love with Alex!
October 27, 2023
I am sorry but Elizabeth graham is not for me.
Her h are the one's are really hate, i mean in anything they are brainless, rude and hopeless ninnies.
Here the rich h goes as a cook to a ranch and doesn't even act like a cook always arguing and being rude top of it how can someone be so clueless about ranch cooking and even if they are don't you ever ask and in this case to the idiotic sister.
Top of it her antics with the H's brother plus giving out advises where not required doesn't add up.
H was a rude condescending alpha.
Her h are the one's are really hate, i mean in anything they are brainless, rude and hopeless ninnies.
Here the rich h goes as a cook to a ranch and doesn't even act like a cook always arguing and being rude top of it how can someone be so clueless about ranch cooking and even if they are don't you ever ask and in this case to the idiotic sister.
Top of it her antics with the H's brother plus giving out advises where not required doesn't add up.
H was a rude condescending alpha.
June 30, 2025
Hero living in a ranch in the “back of beyond” discovers who his very incompetent housekeeper really is and angrily confronts her.
Hero: Why in hell would a millionaire’s daughter want to come down here and wash my socks and underwear?
Heroine: Somebody has to wash them.
The reader couldn’t help chuckling with amusement as the story unfolds and at how it’s told without it detracting from the magic of a well written love story. A very enjoyable read.
CYA’58
Hero: Why in hell would a millionaire’s daughter want to come down here and wash my socks and underwear?
Heroine: Somebody has to wash them.
The reader couldn’t help chuckling with amusement as the story unfolds and at how it’s told without it detracting from the magic of a well written love story. A very enjoyable read.
CYA’58
May 18, 2026
re-read
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